First the apology: Some of my recent comments have crossed the line. I'm sorry. Clearly I don't know the whole story of what is going on at Asbury. I'm sure that Greenway has made some significant missteps (including not returning to the evaluation), although I haven't heard one yet that I thought merited firing.
I continue to support the faculty "we wonder" series as truths on one side of this balance sheet. I continue to think that the EXCO's approach was a serious mistake--particularly because in an internet age this in between time only damages the seminary with each passing day. I believe that it has demonstrated a stubbornness that, while they feel they are justified in having, has not been helpful.
I plan to continue to report on the situation as these kinds of things surface, but will try from this point on to heed the respectful advice of a former IWU student, given in the words of Thomas a Kempis: "He should only speak who prefers to be silent."
Now "The Faculty Wonder #7"
The flurry of reports and narratives dating from 1 September 2006 has shed light on and generated heat regarding the critical situation in which Asbury Theological Seminary now finds itself. We are left with a number of questions. This is the seventh.
We wonder why the voice of the Plenary Faculty has never been acknowledged — nor, as far we know, ever given serious consideration -- by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.
In an effort to practice the "shared governance" mandated of seminaries accredited by The Association of Theological Schools (Standards of Accreditation, The Association of Theological Schools, Commission on Accreditation §8), the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary, meeting on September 5, 2006, drew attention to a series of perceived defects in the process leading up to and including the decision to place President Greenway on leave.
Among the Plenary Faculty’s resolutions were the following:
"a. we affirm full confidence in the Presidency of Dr. Jeffrey Greenway (Vote results: 45 yes / 8 no / 3 abstentions).
"b. we call for the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees immediately to restore Dr. Greenway to his full presidential responsibilities (Vote results: yes 47 / no 8 / 1 abstention).
"c. we call for an emergency meeting of the full Board of Trustees to resolve this crisis within the next two weeks (Vote results: 52 yes / 3 no / 1 abstention)."
Although the Resolution of the Plenary Faculty was forwarded to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees at its meeting on September 5, 2006, to date the Faculty has received neither formal nor informal acknowledgment of its actions. This leads us to wonder about the commitment of the Executive committee to the principles and practice of shared governance.
Signed:
Kenneth A. Boyd, Ph.D., Professor of Instructional Design
Allan Coppedge, Ph.D., Ralph Waldo Beeson Professor of Christian Theology
Ronald K. Crandall, D.Th.P., McCreless Professor of Evangelism and Sundo Kim Professor of Evangelism and Practical Theology
Richard L. Gray, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Leadership and Christian Ministry
Joel B. Green, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament Interpretation
Chuck Gutenson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Philosophical Theology
Virginia Todd Holeman, Ph.D., Professor of Counseling
Eunice L. Irwin, Ph.D., Associate Professor: Mission and Contextual Theology
Randy Jessen, D.Min., Dean, Beeson International Center for Biblical Preaching and Church Leadership
C. Reginald Johnson, Ph.D., Roy and Weezie Anderson Professor of Prayer and Spiritual Formation
Hugo Magallanes, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Church in Society
Terry C. Muck, Ph.D., Professor of Missions and World Religions
M. Robert Mulholland Jr., Ph.D., Professor of New Testament
Ruth Anne Reese, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament
Christine Pohl, Ph.D., Professor of Church in Society
Lester Ruth, Ph.D., Lily May Jarvis Professor of Christian Worship
Michael A. Rynkiewich, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology
Daryl Smith, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Mentored Ministry and Christian Leadership
Catherine Stonehouse, Ph.D., Orlean Bullard Beeson Professor of Christian Discipleship
David L. Thompson, Ph.D., F.M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies
Thomas F. Tumblin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Christian Leadership
Jerry L. Walls, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy of Religion
Ben Witherington III, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament
Laurence W. Wood, Ph.D., Frank Paul Morris Professor of Systematic Theology
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3 comments:
Of course Lawson would say that the board has paid attention to the faculty vote. I'm sure this is true of the broader board. But then again, Dan Johnson himself admitted the initial ignoring of it, justifying it by arguing that the faculty did not let Jim Smith talk at that meeting. Of course they would have never got through the things they were voting on if they had let him speak.
What has clearly not happened, however, is a formal response to the faculty. And that seems highly irregular to me. It makes me think that we have just as stubborn people in core board leadership as we have anywhere else in this crisis.
One specific issue: one year ago the board asked Greenway to make peace with a well-regarded professor, fearing that s/he would leave for another seminary. When asked by the board if he had spoken with the professor, Greenway simply said, "no." His reason? "I didn't have time." And by the way, the professor is not a usual suspect.
This may all be true (including the post under the Wonder 8). But surely these things could have been addressed either 1) more openly or 2) while Greenway continued in office. The outcome might have been the same without these 43 days of Hades.
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